I’ve been writing on a wide range of topics since some time around the start of the millennium. For many years, that was mainly for Everything2, a writing site where I have been a Content Editor for about twenty years, and was also Lead Developer for a while.
In more recent years I have been published in The Psychologist, Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism, NeuroClastic, MCA Research Journal, openDemocracy and Bylines Scotland, but I put most of my writing these days on my Medium account (all free to access). Below, you will find much of that writing sorted by category.
Science & Maths
Physics
- Polarised Light
- Resonance
- Gravity
- Gravitational potential
- Star Power
- Hidden Variables Theories of Quantum Physics (2686 words)
- Quantum Non-Locality – history (2210 words)
- Quantum Entanglement – implications(1420 words)
- Quantum Entanglement and Causality (6266 words) (BSc. dissertation – includes large parts of the two pieces above)
- Caustics
- Royal Society Summer Exhibition (also features some mycology)
- Telegraphy
Chemistry
- Carbon
- Hydrogen
- Nitrogen
- pH
- My favourite organic acids (audio)
- Sodium acetate
- Electronegativity
- Ionic bonding
- Metallic bonding
- Rock
- Limestone
- Electrolysis
- Octet Rule
- Reaction-diffusion systems
- Miscibility
Life Sciences
- Taxonomy
- Fabaceae
- Ground elder
- Buttercup
- Hairy bittercress
- Magpie
- Selenium
- Diurnal vertical migration
- 3D printed titanium jawbone
- Photosensitive Seizures
- Paradoxical undressing (audio)
Maths
Meteorology
Autism & Neurodiversity
See On Autism page for a full list.
- Neurodiversity and Mental Health (10 minute read, Medium estimates)
- Isn’t Everyone On The Spectrum? (2 min)
- Autism as a Disability (11 min) – also in Spanish, Espectro Autista Como Una Discapacidad: ¿Qué Significa Discapacidad?
- Autism and Empathy (4 min)
- Autism and Executive Functions (5 min) – also in Spanish, Espectro Autista y Función Ejecutiva
- What Neurodiversity Isn’t (6 min) – audio, video
- Me and Monotropism: A Unified Theory of Autism (13 min)
- Starting Points for Understanding Autism: Monotropism in Practice (11 min)
- Autism when it’s Not a Disability (7 min)
- Autism and the Politics of Everything Else (5 min)
- Neurodiversity is for Everyone (5 min) – audio, video
- We’re here. We’re weird. Get used to it. (8 min)
- Autistic Glossary (for AMASE, with some input from Sonny and others)
Computers
- Processing
- An Introduction to Programming, Using Processing. Part 1: Why Program?
- 3D Scanning
- Java 3D
- Mixing Live Action and Computer Graphics
- Augmented Reality
- The USB Programming Model
Film, Television & Radio
- Countdown (personal account)
- 28 Days Later
- Toy Story 3
- The Remains of the Day
- Blue Planet
- Glee
- Primeval
- Brazil
- Whisper of the Heart
- Amitabh Bachchan
- The Forum
- Common Podcasting Mistakes
Politics, Philosophy & Economics
- Colours, Categories and the Pursuit of Objectivity (audio)
- Reasons to be hopeful, in spite of everything
- On Smallness and Power
- Anger and Power
- Economic Credibility and Human Sacrifice
- Rage Against the Rage
- Cognitive Load and Basic Income
- Non-Voters and How to Win Elections
- The Fake News about Post-Truth
- A (Partial) Defence of Democracy
- Can a woman be sexist? Can a black person be racist?
- A Coup without a Clue
- Labour’s Failed Election
- Our Chief Mistakes
- Pragmamorphism
- Levels of explanation
- Average Log Income
- Privilege
- Discrimination
- Medicalization
- Exoticization
- Dehumanization
- Separation of church and state
- Value
- Class
- Employment
- ‘There is plenty of room for all God’s creatures’ (on moral relativism)
- Free Will
- Problem of Evil
- Evil
- Your Move
- LGBT
- Camp X-Ray
- Fighting Terrorism with Terrorism
- Know your Enemy
- New Deal
- Criminal Justice Act
- Cluster Bombs
- Hair-related Legislation through the Ages
Books
- The Cloudspotter’s Guide
- Cat by B. Kliban
- Fences and Windows by Naomi Klein
- People, Places, Things & Ideas
- The Book of Tea by Kakuzo Okakura
- The Road Goes Ever On with lyrics by J.R.R. Tolkien
- Ice Haven by Daniel Clowes
- Bad Machinery by John Allison
- Delusions of Gender by Cordelia Fine
Music
- Bob Dylan (his eponymous debut album)
- Planet Waves (another Bob Dylan album)
- Hard Rain (a live Bob Dylan album)
- I’m Not There (a film about him)
- Belle and Sebastian
- Tigermilk (their first album)
- Fold your Hands Child, you Walk like a Peasant (their fourth)
- Dear Catastrophe Waitress (their fifth, or arguably their sixth)
- Jeepster Records (their former label)
- Pre-Apocalyptic Love Song (Hannah Wermuller‘s debut album)
- Woodburner (a live music night)
- Ukulele (a short guide to the instrument, mainly for guitar players)
People
- Stuart David (a former member of Belle & Sebastian)
- Tom Baker (a former Doctor Who)
- Tripitaka (the monk and writer also known as Hsuan Tsang)
- Kakuzo Okakura (author of The Book of Tea)
- Medical Marijuana Barbie (aka Dr. Tracy Blevins)
- Michael Howard (leader of the Tory Party ca 2003)
Food & Drink
- Vegan Ingredients
- Frazzle-Fried Sprouts
- Chocolate and Chestnut Risotto
- Spicy fried potato with garlicky mushroom spinach
- Asianish Kale, Carrot and Broad Bean Feast
- Avocado Houmous
- Peanuts
- Porridge
- Hot Chocolate
- Ugly Soup
- Pakora
- Onion Bhaji
- Hunger is the best spice
- Human Taste Perception
- Astringency
- Umami
- Turmeric
- Fritter
- Protato
- AeroPress
Tea
Poems and so on
- Get in your car. Do not look back. Monsters are chasing. They’re going to attack.
- On Not Being Bob Dylan
- Our sensei
- Scottish Widows Poems
- Interstellar Medium haikus
- …am?
- A Sun’s Eye View
- Since The End of The Eighteenth Century
- Oolong Tea(including The Oolong Tea Song)
- Terrible Coffee Song
- Pub Woman
- Ballad of May Day 2000
- Thesis Wisdoms
- Maybe He’s a Christian
- Dark Chocolate
- Photo Point
- The Sound of English
Other
- Difficult English vowels for Spanish speakers
- Sweat Lodge
- Beltane
- Hungarian Puli
- The light I never node
- The Time with the Worms
- We saved a pigeon
- When Tofu Goes Bad
- The Ladybird Uprising of 1976 (audio)
- Family Business (classic card game)
- Stone (the unit of meassure)
- Faff
- Open mic night
- Logos
- Oo
- The Beanstalk (tree, with photos)